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What's Next for Great Start to Quality
January 2022
On-Site Assessment Threshold Scores
In the new quality improvement process for Great Start to Quality, launching in the Fall of 2022, the CLASS and Social Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment (SEL-PQA) will be used to conduct on-site assessments. Threshold scores must be achieved, for each group or classroom observed, for the program to reach the highest quality level; Demonstrating Quality. Threshold scores for each tool are noted in the table.
CLASS will be used to measure adult-child interactions in early education programs.
SEL-PQA will be used to measure program quality in Out-of-School Time only programs.
Assessments for Programs with Multiple Classrooms
The way that the number of assessments a program will receive will not change from what is true today for Great Start to Quality. Each age group served must be assessed as well as one-third (1/3) of the total number of classrooms. Classrooms are selected randomly.
Approved Assesors
In the fall of 2022, Great Start to Quality will continue to use the support of reliable, Approved Assessors for CLASS observations in Great Start Readiness Programs and Head Start/Early Head Start Programs. NAEYC accredited programs will have on-site assessments conducted by Great Start to Quality Assessors only.
Curriculum Approval
In August, 2021, the Michigan Department of Education-Office of Great Start (OGS) launched a curriculum review and approval process for Home-Based Family Child Care programs and Center-Based programs serving infants and toddlers. Curriculum Model Evaluation Rubrics for infant and toddler and family and group home programs were developed to assess a curriculum’s alignment with Michigan’s Early Childhood Standards of Quality - PreK (ECSQ-PK) for family and group home programs and Michigan’s Early Childhood Standards of quality for Infants and Toddlers (ECSQ-IT) for infant and toddler programs.

The rubrics measure a submission’s alignment with criteria organized in five major areas:
  • Valid research
  • Evaluation results 
  • Professional development
  • Developmental appropriateness
  • Alignment with state standards
 
Curricula were evaluated by the curriculum review committee (CRC), made up of early childhood experts including infant-toddler and home-based child care specialists. This committee includes members representing diverse perspectives and is responsible for ensuring a fair and thorough review of submissions. A total of five curricula were submitted for review and three were selected.

Newly approved curricula include:
  • Experience Early Learning: Mother Goose Infant Toddler Curriculum (Home-Based Curriculum)
  • HighScope: Home-Based Child Care (Infant-Toddler Curriculum)
  • HighScope: Infant Toddler Curriculum


The list of approved curricula have been added to the Approved Screening, Assessment, and Curriculum list available on the Great Start to Quality website. More details on the process and a memo of findings is also available on the Curriculum Approval page.
What’s Next
In the next edition, we will share the updated Quality Indicators by which programs can measure their practices through the Self-Reflection. See recent updates on the change in the model on our Quality Improvement Process page.
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If you are thinking about how to maintain or continue making quality improvements, or if you’re ready to learn more and need help, contact your local Great Start to Quality Resource Center by calling 1-877-614-7328 or visit www.greatstarttoquality.org.
Funding from the Office of Great Start within the Michigan Department of Education supports the implementation of Great Start.